New Delhi: July 20 is set to be a significant day for the entire country as the Monsoon Session of Parliament begins. The central government has convened a crucial meeting on the eve of the session. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has invited the NCPI, a new party formed by rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders,s to participate in this all-party meeting.
The Opposition staged a symbolic walkout from the meeting in protest against the invitation extended to the rebel TMC MPs. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has not yet officially recognised the NCPI, the new party formed by these rebel MPs.
Opposition’s Protest Over Inviting Rebel TMC MPs
The Opposition questioned how the rebel TMC MPs could be invited to an all-party meeting without official recognition from the Speaker. Citing this issue, the Opposition initially walked out of the meeting but later rejoined. During the proceedings, the rebel MPs demanded to be seated alongside the main TMC MPs. Acceding to this request, seating arrangements were made for them on separate benches.
Mahua Moitra Makes a Strong Statement
Voicing opposition to the invitation extended to the rebel TMC MPs, TMC MP Mahua Moitra stated that the entire Opposition, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, DMK, JMM, Aam Aadmi Party, National Conference, Left parties, and Shiv Sena (UBT walked out of the all-party meeting in protest. She referred to the NCPI as a so-called unrecognised party.
She pointed out that the list provided by the Table Office showed the All India Trinamool Congress strength as 28. This figure included the 20 so-called TMC MPs whose merger has not been approved by the Speaker; disqualification petitions against these 20 MPs are still pending. Moitra further argued that, following the 91st Amendment, there is no provision for a separate parliamentary bloc S.he questioned the grounds on which the Parliamentary Affairs Minister had extended invitations to these 20 rebel MPs. How are they participating in this meeting?
What the JMM MP said
Before the meeting began, JMM MP Mahua Majhi told reporters, “You can see how the BJP is bringing MPs from other parties into its fold. Even so, they likely still fall short of the required number by about six seats. Therefore, they will certainly need to rely on the INDIA opposition bloc.” She referred to the Women’s Reservation Bill w, which had been passed unanimously and without controversy in 2023, and the attempt to link it to the delimitation process. Majhi added, “We all support women’s reservation, but [we objected to] the way they were trying to tie it to delimitation.
